Contents: Congratulations* / Welcome to the Cinema* / World Premiere* / Bring Out Your Dead / Class Struggle / Witch Test / Professional Logician* / Camelot / The Quest / The Silbury Hill Car Park* / Frenchmen / Bomb Threat* / Executive Announcement* / The Story of the Film So Far* / The Tale of Sir Robin / The Knights Who Say "Ni" / Interview* / Swamp Castle / Tim the Enchanter / Great Performances* / Holy Hand Grenade / Announcement - Sir Kenneth Clark* / French Castle Again / End of Film*
(* denotes material not available in any other Python movies or TV episodes)
Review: Much like the movie that inspired it, this album pretty much spoils the average Monty Python buff for future Python soundtracks. Soundtracks for comedy albums were fairly de rigeur in the 1970's (e.g., Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein), but here the Pythons went to the trouble of writing sketches for the album as though it was one of their TV episodes, something they'd never do again. Consequently, this album is just as enjoyable to listen to as their previous albums and their TV episodes.
The album's premise is that this soundtrack was recorded at an afternoon showing of Holy Grail at an apparently rundown British cinema house. Also, the album's cover sports the banner "Executive Version"--implying that you, the listener, are getting a top-grade version of the album, as opposed to purchasers of "the cheaper version." All of this leads to some very funny sketches and running gags.
The album's low point of taste is a sketch where an interviewer (Michael Palin) talks to a director (Graham Chapman) who boasts that the late Marilyn Monroe is in his new movie. ("We did have to use a stand-in for some of the tighter shots.") This degenerates into the interviewer trying to pump the director for information on where he got the children he was once accused of molesting. Very grim listening in these latter days. But it's balanced by John Cleese's sublime bit as the "professional logician" who tries to string everything together logically, but finally concludes that "sex is more fun than logic." Lots of other great bits throughout, especially "The Story of the Film So Far."
As worthy of your attention as any "bonafide" Python album.
Our rating: 
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